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The Vancouver company’s founder is peddling a tell-all, self-published book via Amazon titled “Little Black Stretchy Pants,” chronicling Lululemon’s start, expansion and Wilson’s critique of how the company’s been run in more recent years. From Wilson’s perspective, the company has some kinks to work out.
“On a board of directors in a public company, it’s like a good marriage,” Wilson said. “If a man and a woman can respect each other for what they bring to the marriage, then the marriage is really strong. But if only the man put down how the marriage is going to be or only the woman, there’s no synergy. There’s no one plus one equals three. So my thing with Lululemon right now is it’s just one [side of the equation].”
Wilson, who has a 13 percent stake in the business, originally got his start in the action sports industry, founding a company called Westbeach before going on to start Lululemon. In 2005, he sold a 48 percent stake in the business to Advent International and Highland Capital Partners. He contends he did not need money at the time and had brought on outside investors in a bid to gain advice and assistance on U.S. real estate. The company went public two years later and up until February 2015, Wilson was a member of the board. He hasn’t been a silent bystander, calling out the company saying it has lost its way.
Lululemon, with revenue for its fiscal year ended Jan. 28 up 13 percent to $2.6 billion, more recently saw a shakeup within its executive ranks with the departure of chief executive officer Laurent Potdevin in February. The reason for his departure was not made clear, with the company citing its code of conduct in a press release announcing the news saying Potdevin “fell short” of said policies. Former Sephora Americas president and ceo Calvin McDonald has been leading the company since July.
The story Wilson’s pushing is the classic creative versus finance tale commonplace within the fashion industry.
“That’s the idea of the book,” he said. “What I call old school people that are on the board that come in once a quarter and elect, they want a ceo who’s also metric-driven because they don’t know how to talk to a creative ceo. In my mind, a ceo should always be visionary and culture-first and then the coo should be that operator. But never put the operator on top.”
Wilson reflected on Lululemon while in Santa Monica, the final stop of his four-city book tour, before heading back to Vancouver. The day’s event included a yoga class followed by book signing in front of the Lululemon store at the Third Street Promenade. Wilson signed books and spoke with fans of the brand, standing barefoot in red shorts and a red-and-white striped shirt. The outfit was an idea of his son, J.J. Wilson, that had other men also dressed in the same red-and-white striped shirt (although wearing black shorts) with name tags reading “Chip” in a reference to “Where’s Waldo?”
The book is to serve as a living archive for Lululemon with the idea, Wilson said, to continue writing additional chapters to post on his namesake web site and also crowdsource from past or present Lululemon employees to add their own perspectives.
“The story’s never-ending and Lululemon’s a 1,000-year company so I think even 80 years from now people will be able to look and [see] what actually happened,” Wilson said. “I think, with us, we were so busy building the company, we never took any photographs. We never wrote the story. So, at some point, the press got to write the story for Lululemon rather than Lululemon writing the story for itself.”
That last point would be in reference to the various stumbles in the media that have dogged Wilson and the company at times, including the well-publicized recall in 2013 of Lululemon’s black luon yoga pants for being too sheer. Wilson’s comments in an interview on the matter drew ire when he said “some women’s bodies just actually don’t work” for the pants.
Wilson’s looking to the book to take back the story and reframe it around what made the business successful, something he said is rooted around a company culture he believes could have only emanated out of Vancouver and a lateral path that began when he first entered into the surfwear market. When that became oversaturated he went to skate and then snowboarding before entering the world of yoga.
“The reason I had to keep shifting is because when I got into the surf business, it was Quiksilver and Billabong out of Australia that came here and then there was OP,” he said. “In the next five years it became probably 500 companies and it became a commodity product. In other words, there was too much product and too few people…Yoga was different because I changed the business model to be vertical retailing so I missed the wholesaler and that was very capital intensive and no other company could afford to do it or understand it at the time.”
While plenty of brands are chasing Lululemon, there’s a big gap between the company and everyone else. Gordon Devin, the ceo of the 10-year-old Spiritual Gangster yoga brand, told WWD last month, “In the world of ath-leisure, you’ve got the 800-pound gorilla, Lululemon, and you’ve got everybody else playing second.”
“When people compete against Lululemon, they really have to be able to do it on a straight commerce basis in order to drive a better quality product at a better price, but it seems like no one can make a pure e-commerce model work with a great brand,” Wilson said. “Amazon keeps trying, but it can’t. It hits the mass market where, to build a real brand, it has to have real value in it. As of yet, that doesn’t seem to be going through Amazon.”
Wilson thinks the wholesale business will continue to contract due to fewer consumers out there willing to buy and that same reason drives his thoughts around what happens to physical retail.
“The prices of space are coming down, which is going to create a whole different type of retailer that will come in,” he said. “So with Sears, you’re going to have virtual reality games, go-karting and vertical farming [tenants], where people will give their girlfriend a birthday present of vertical farming space inside what used to be Sears.”
Anyone selling a technical product that needs to be shown to customers — such as Lululemon, Tesla or Apple — will continue to nab real estate, Wilson said.
The entrepreneur cited what Adidas did with the Yeezy shoes and Canada Goose as interesting studies of brands doing things right, but said he considers himself a “technical guy” who mostly thinks about the future of clothing and what technology can be packed in. What does that look like? Wilson, is lucid in his idea of wardrobes of the future.
“My belief 20 years out from now is we may all be wearing Lycra suits, top to bottom. I think because of 3-D printing of food and nutrition, everybody’s going to be very fit and so there won’t be any stigma to wearing a tight Lycra piece,” he said. “You look at anyone in the Olympics, that’s how they dress for the most functional movement. So you have to think that that’s where it’s going. Fabric will be temperature-controlled. You could see the Apple Watch getting bigger and bigger and it’s going to be a flexible foam on your wrist with implants in your ears.”
It’s quite a vision and perhaps something so far out there the metric or operations people, as Wilson calls them, may not get it. However, his whole thing is one must think far out in order to create the future, accepting there will be flops along the way.
“What happens is once every three years in one quarter, the creative part won’t be successful,” he said. “In other words, if you’re pushing the creative end, it’s going to fail every now and then. The people that are the metric people, the operators, they’re always saying ‘Oh, that’s not going to work. That’s not going to work.’ That’s who they are because they don’t know how to create the future. What happens is a line will fail one quarter and then the finance people come in and say ‘Well, you messed up and we’ll come in because we know how to do it better.’ They put parameters on the creative end and the creative people never get it back.”
That’s perhaps related to one of the mistakes and lessons that still stick with Wilson today after all his years in business.
“I didn’t need the money, but when I took the money in, I made the mistake of not getting A and B class shares,” he said. “Under Armour and Nike, the founders there because they have that, they can control the board and they can have the right balance between metric and creative visionary people on the board. If you end up with all metric, then they think they’re creative and they come up with ideas nowhere near that. It puts you to sleep.”


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On Tuesday, Tim Cook met with Industry and Information Technology Minister Miao Wei as part of his second visit to China as Apple's CEO. According to a statement on the minister's website, Cook and Wei met to discuss "the development of China’s information technology industry, global mobile communications, and Apple’s business in China."
Cook last visited China in March 2012, meeting with officials and touring Foxconn's Apple factories following criticism of labor practices there. Since that visit, Foxconn has faced scandal again. In August, the Fair Labor Association announced that Foxconn was making good progress in improving working conditions. But in September, Chinese students were reportedly pulled out of school to work on the iPhone 5 as part of a forced "internship" program. It's unconfirmed whether he'll visit Foxconn again, but Cook's visit may be timed to coincide with another update to the FLA's report.
Update: Matt Brian and John Paczkowski both wonder whether Tim Cook is in China in part to try to strike a deal with China Mobile, the nation's largest cellular provider with 120 million current subscribers.

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Time flies, from the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) launched the XBT futures contracts, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) launched bitcoin derivatives had been a year.
But the passage of time, today’s encryption currency spot market has lost the all-time high of the scenery, in the industry is full of bearish, look bad mood. At the same time, bitcoin futures contracts instead of the development of good, leading to some skeptics think these derivatives brings damage to the crypto currency spot market.
The bitcoin futures spot market to “tame”?
On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange announced a few weeks ago bitcoin futures contracts, bitcoin core (BTC) prices have soared. In Chicago, seventh days after the official release options exchange bitcoin bitcoin futures contracts, hit the highest point in history, $19600 but then there is no increase. On the other hand, because bitcoin prices fell repeatedly, but “encourage” the bitcoin derivatives trading volume of Chicago commodity exchange and Chicago Board Options Exchange soaring. According to a liquidity report of Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange released in December 7th shows that before bitcoin prices once again experienced a major setback, bitcoin futures trading volume rose in November. The same situation also occurred in October this year, Chicago commodity exchange bitcoin futures average daily turnover (ADV) also showed a substantial growth.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange is the world’s largest foreign exchange since December last year, has been selling bitcoin derivatives.
Market skeptics, even believe that the futures market has caused a long-term decline in encryption of the currency market, and also feel that futures actually determines the price of bitcoin pricing. The most typical example is including silver and gold, precious metals, precious metals derivatives because when first introduced, also inhibited the rise in the price of the final decision and pricing. The coin circle of people must remember the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, honorary chairman Leo Melamed last year in an interview with the Reuters said:
The futures market will tame bitcoin. We will carry out the supervision, so that bitcoin is no longer wild, not wild, we will tame it becomes a regular trading tool.”
Below: bitcoin futures report of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in July 12, 2018
The use of short selling hit bitcoin spot market
After the bitcoin futures market, the market was lower, but also make people doubt whether the derivatives dealers in the manipulation of the spot price, is not only the financial institutions, and even some large enterprises can buy bitcoin in stock exchange, and in the CME and the CBOE lever arranged in short positions to achieve this purpose.
Above: after the bitcoin stock market experienced selling for five consecutive days, the Chicago Board Options Exchange in November 20th the volume of trading volume on the Chicago and finally commodity trading agree.
As those short bitcoin miners like those from stock exchange to buy bitcoin futures traders is not in a hurry, because they can put their bitcoin holdings slowly thrown back into the market, but also enjoy the protection of futures hedging positions. A few years ago, the same technique has been applied in the precious metals market. Now, people can not even physical assets to trade, which is why you will see a number of reasons for “paper gold” products are traded.
This week, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange Processing about 3500-7000 ADV contract, if you look carefully, you will find some days before whenever the market change, there will be a bigger, more number of ADV contracts. For example, in November 20th, the number of Chicago commodity exchange bitcoin futures contract reached 14490 pen high. Coincidence is, the average daily turnover in Chicago on the day of the XBT Futures Options Exchange and Chicago commodity exchange match. However, on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange bitcoin derivatives prices soared after five days, from November 20th to November 25th, bitcoin spot price from $4670 to $3600 to fall suddenly.
The November 11, 2018 Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange bitcoin contract
In fact, since December last year, bitcoin futures forecasts have undergone considerable change, when people still “bet” bitcoin prices will rise to $2-5. However, by December of last year, January and February, forecast the price of bitcoin futures contract has suddenly become $3200-3500, from the point of view, this is a lot of bitcoin insiders unimaginable price.
The upcoming launch of more bitcoin futures products
Of course, now judge bitcoin futures product is still too early to the negative effect of spot price. But some people insist that the futures market to launch a benefit without harm to the crypto currency. However, in addition to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, now many large financial institutions are also trying to bitcoin futures.
Vice president of NASDAQ Joseph Christinat media team said they plan to launch in the first half of 2019 his bitcoin futures products; Intercontinental Exchange’s encryption currency exchange Bakkt also revealed plans to release bitcoin derivatives in December 12th (at present has been delayed, is expected to start selling in January 24, 2019). However, these institutions of futures contracts and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange is different, in the case of Bakkt, they are ready to launch the product futures contract settlement bitcoin, which is at the end of the transaction will be the actual bitcoin in the customer’s account, and direct access to digital assets.


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Dreams Quest, a decentralized play-to-earn RPG game that is powered by blockchain technology and dynamic NFTs, has announced that its anticipated initial DEX offering (IDO) will be held on Red Kite, GameFi, and DuckStater. Notably, the initial DEX offering on DuckStater is scheduled to take place on October 14. As for the GameFi and Red Kite IDO, Dreams Quest has set October 15 as the desired date.
By purchasing the $DREAMS tokens, users will get an opportunity to access the Dreams Quest ecosystem. Notably, the Dreams Quest ecosystem is scheduled to be unveiled gradually for the next two years according to the company’s road map.
“Players are invited to explore the dream realms and go on adventures by participating in quests, events, and tournaments. The NFT game cards are dynamic which are impacted by unknown factors like weather conditions, temperature, and storms. At the conclusion of every game, card attributes are written on-chain, storing the permanent history of card changes over time as well as how cards have evolved or changed,” the company noted in a press release.
Play-to-earn alias (P2E) games have gone viral for the better part of this year. Combined with the booming non-fungible tokens (NFTs) industry, the play-to-earn industry is poised to scale higher as more users migrate to the blockchain and crypto market.
“Players are presented with a free deck to get started and are then given a variety of gaming style options to make the game even more engaging. These include completing quests, competing in battles or tournaments, or setting up a shop in the marketplace to become a local trader. The goal is to create both an in-game economy and a variety of fun and interesting ways to earn while playing,” the company further noted.
“After over a year of hard work we are excited to finally be bringing this project to the market and to finally see our community coming to life. Our goal is to build a democratized economy where everyone can earn from playing while also having an opportunity to explore the realms that we dreamed up long ago,” noted Paulii Good, Dreams Quest Co-Founder.
The mysteries of the game combined with the fact that players have the chance to win and earn prizes makes the game much more interesting.
Main website: www.dreams.quest


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BERLIN -- BMW AG said Tuesday that third-quarter net profit slumped 74% from a year earlier, but that it expects to remain profitable in 2009 and anticipates a steady market improvement next year.
The Munich-based auto maker reported net profit fell to €78 million from €298 million in the same period a year ago, reflecting a steep fall in demand for luxury cars amid the recession. The results came in slightly below analysts' estimates of €94 million.
Revenue slumped 6.6% to €11.8 billion from €12.6 billion, while the company's closely watched earnings before interest and tax, or EBIT, contracted 86% to €55 million from €387 million on a year-to-year basis.
BMW Chief Executive Norbert Reithofer said in a statement that the company expects markets to make a gradual recovery over the coming year.
"The BMW X1 and BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo should provide good momentum. This trend will be fuelled further between 2010 and 2012 when the new versions of high-selling models come onto the markets," Mr. Reithofer said. The CEO added that BMW still targets a return on sales in its auto segment of between 8% and 10% in 2012 and a return on capital employed of more than 26%.
The optimistic outlook wasn't sufficient to counter investors' disappointment with the earnings figures. BMW shares recently traded down 6.8% at €31.30, while the blue-chip DAX index traded down 1.4%.
The company's shares have gained around 20% in value over the past six months, outperforming a 4% rise of the Dow Jones Stoxx Europe 600 automotive and parts sector index, as investors expect premium auto makers to be hurt less by an anticipated slump in demand after state-backed scrapping incentives in many markets expire. These scrapping incentives mainly revived demand for smaller cars rather than big luxury sedans.
BMW said third-quarter sales declined 7.2% on the year to 324,100 vehicles. The company confirmed that it expects vehicle sales this year to decline by between 10% and 15% compared with 2008. BMW sold around 1.43 million vehicles last year.
"It is still too early to give the all-clear for the world's automobile markets," CEO Reithofer said.
BMW was particularly hard hit when demand for premium cars came to a grinding halt amid the economic downturn due to its large footprint in the U.S., which until recently was the company's largest sales region ahead of its domestic market.
But the world's biggest luxury car maker by sales managed successful damage control as it scaled back production earlier than many other auto makers when markets collapsed and kept cash burn at a relatively modest level. Additionally, BMW initiated a wide-ranging program to trim costs and improve efficiency.
BMW plans to exceed its initial target of €4 billion of material cost reductions by 2012 as part of a wide-ranging cost-cutting target of €6 billion. Reducing expenses in materials, production and development are expected to account for two-thirds of the planned overall cost reduction.
Write to Christoph Rauwald at email@example.com


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The leaked details of the upcoming Google Glass 2 suggest the new Glass version is more durable than its predecessor, and is foldable and waterproof.
Fortune magazine said the Google Glass Enterprise Edition, or “EE,” will basically look like its predecessor, the Explorer Edition, with a few differences inside and out.
9to5Google quoted sources familiar with Enterprise Edition prototypes stating the version includes a larger prism display for a better viewing experience, an Intel Atom processor that brings better performance, moderately improved battery life, and better heat management.
These are significant upgrades from the Explorer Edition, which suffered from incredibly short battery life, heat problems, and lackluster performance.
Expedition Edition has been pulled in January following poor sales and mixed reviews.
The second generation Glass is built for workplace environment and it is more robust and rugged in design, 9to5Google added.
It is more durable, water resistant, and with an aesthetic better suited to the workplace, Fortune magazine said.
The Daily Mail noted the most noticeable new feature of Enterprise Edition which is its robust hinge to allow the battery and computer modules to fold down like a regular pair of glasses, as well as a hinge on the other side.
Meanwhile, Fortune magazine said Google is rumored to be planning to test the new device through its certified Google for Work program participants.
Earlier last month, DroidLife reported a test report was filed to the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) stating Google has a new product in the works under FCC ID A4R-GG1.
DroidLife said the FCC filing suggest the device is some sort of wearable and could be a new Glass.
Google has yet to announce when the new Glass will be launched.
The previous Google Glass headset was launched in a beta version under the firm’s Explorer program. This allowed software developers the chance to buy Glass for $1,500 (£990), and was launched in the US in 2013 and in the UK in last summer, the Daily Mail said.


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Earlier this morning, we posted about the Meta 1 augmented reality headset -- a rather unique pair of glasses that lets you play around with virtual 3D objects in the real world. Being right on schedule, the project has officially hit Kickstarter, with the goal of raising 100 grand in just 30 short days.
The Epson Moverio BT-100 is a pair of augmented reality glasses that, in the wake of the future success of Google Glass and the Occulus Rift, keeps itself unique with its own combination of abilities. This week SlashGear had a chat with Eric Mizufuka, Product Manager of New Markets at Epson and Scott Montgomerie, CEO and lead developer of Scope Technologies about the newest use of this still very developer-stage pair of futuristic glasses: augmented reality industrial product training.
Vuzix has been peddling all sorts of video glasses and other products for a number of years. The company was showing off augmented reality glasses before Google ever stepped into the game with its Glass project. Vuzix has announced the launch of its Star 1200XLD all-digital see-through video glasses.
Vuzix has been producing all sorts of video glasses for a number of years. One of the most recent products that the company has announced is called the Wrap 1200AR. These glasses are see-through augmented reality units providing lots of adjustability to allow wearers the ability to overlay video and other content on what they see in the real world.
The augmented reality scene is hotting up, with the promise of full computer-mediated vision for the mainstream and another hint that Google won't have the Glass market all to itself thanks to an incoming headset from startup Meta. The wearable project actually goes one step further than Project Glass, putting a full twin-display digital environment - controlled by two hand 3D tracking - in front of the user, rather than floating notifications and prompts in the corner of their eye as Google's system does.
A new app has launched for iPhone 5 users called iOnRoad that is designed to take advantage of the new processing power in the iPhone 5 and navigation integration available on iOS 6. The app is described as a black box video recorder that promises driver assistance when on the road. The app also offers turn-by-turn navigation using an augmented reality interface.
Augmented reality has blown up in 2012 thanks to Google's Project Glass, but a DIY eyepiece likened to a hearing aid for those without 3D vision shows there's more to wearables than recording point-of-view video. Gregory McRoberts' Borg-like DIY eyepatch augments his vision with senses humans wouldn't normally be blessed with: the ability to "see" temperature and precise distance.
Though the Nintendo Wii U is indeed a stationary sort of gaming machine, that's not stopping the folks at Google Maps from making an app for the platform - with augmented reality, no less! This app allows you to not just find your way around your city before you head out of your house, it allows you to check out Street View with a fully interactive look-around mode from your Wii U GamePad. This means you can bring up the Street View images from downtown Rome and use your Gamepad screen like a window, moving it around yourself looking up, down, left, right, all around and see what the original Street View camera saw - like magic!
Wearables competition for Google's Glass continues to surface, with a UK-based research team revealing its more discrete take on the head-mounted augmented reality display. The Technology Partnership (TTP) has embedded a micro-projector in one arm of a pair of ostensibly normal-looking glasses, the Guardian reports, beaming an image via a mirror onto a special reflective pattern etched into the lenses and straight into the wearer's eye.
Nokia has just started unleashing the details on their upcoming Windows Phone 8 attack all starting with their new flagship Lumia 920. Along with plenty of other details we've seen throughout the week they also just officially announced Nokia City Lens Augmented Reality for Windows Phone 8 and the Lumia series.


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Research In Motion Ltd.’s (Nasdaq: RIMM) enterprise-services unit has attracted the interest of International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), two people familiar with the situation have told Bloomberg news.
IBM made an informal approach about possibly acquiring the division, which operates a network of secure servers used to support its BlackBerry devices, said one of the people, who asked not to be named because the matter is private.
The business may be valued at $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion depending on the mix of assets included, according to Berenberg Bank.
Meanwhile, also on Thursday, Reuters reported that Samsung denied interest in buying RIM or licensing its new mobile operating system.
RIM maintains a research and development operation in the Triangle.
One analyst questioned whether RIM would sell the group.
“If they were to offload this, they are offloading their jewel,” said Adnaan Ahmad, an analyst at Berenberg with a sell rating on RIM’s shares. “They want to give BlackBerry 10 a go, so I don’t think this would happen until next year.”
IBM recently closed on the sale of its Raleigh-based retail transaction business unit to Toshiba and also reportedly is interested in buying Israel-based Mellanox Technologies.
No party has shown interest in buying all of RIM or the division that makes its phones, and the Canadian company is inclined to wait for the rollout of BlackBerry 10 phones next year before making any decisions on a sale, the person said. No talks are currently under way, according to the person.
RIM Chief Executive Officer Thorsten Heins, who took charge in January, is trying to turn the company around after customers defected to Apple Inc. and Google Inc.’s Android, triggering losses and declining sales. The Waterloo, Ontario-based company said in May that it had hired JPMorgan Chase & Co. and RBC Capital Markets to study strategic options. Heins has said he would prefer to find a partner or license RIM’s operating system, rather than pursuing sale.
James Sciales, a spokesman for Armonk, New York-based IBM, said the company doesn’t comment on rumors or speculation, as did Nick Manning, a spokesman for RIM.
RIM, once the world’s leading smartphone maker, is racing to get the BlackBerry 10 lineup ready for its debut early next year, aiming to regain market share lost to Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android operating system. The company also is eliminating almost a third of its workforce and shutting down manufacturing sites to boost efficiency.
Its share of the global smartphone market fell to 4.8 percent in the second quarter from 12 percent a year earlier as Android climbed to 68 percent and Apple slipped to 17 percent, according to Framingham, Massachusetts-based IDC.
RIM reported a fiscal first-quarter loss in June of 37 cents a share, excluding some items, more than five times what analysts had predicted.
Sales tumbled 43 percent to $2.8 billion, missing a prediction of $3.05 billion, and the company said it would cut 5,000 jobs.
RIM shares rose 2.4 percent to $7.80 Thursday in New York. The stock has declined 46 percent this year.
IBM employs some 10,000 people across North Carolina.
(Bloomberg contributed to this report.)
[IBM ARCHIVE: Check out a decade of IBM stories as reported in WRAL Tech Wire.]


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Oscar Fashion: Jessica Chastain's Stylist on Her Copper Armani Prive
The "Zero Dark Thirty" actress wore the perennial Hollywood favorite.
Jessica Chastain, recently announced as the brand ambassador for Yves Saint Laurent's new scent Manifesto, did not wear YSL -- as some had surmised -- on the Oscar carpet.
Instead she stepped out wearing a shimmering strapless gown by red carpet staple Armani Prive. Her stylist Elizabeth Stewart tells THR exclusively, "We loved how the copper underlay picked up on her hair color."
"It's old Hollywood. It’s a very 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' dress," Chastain explained to E! host Ryan Seacrest.
Adding to the glamorous look was a 1940s-inspired, Veronica Lake-esque loose, wavy hair style and a Harry Winston bracelet from the 1960s.


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The North American Olive Oil Association will require its members to apply two-year best-by dates on labels, ensure that country of origin details are clear, and provide recommendations for storage and usage.
The North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA) has announced a new set of rules aimed at increasing transparency and customer confidence.
“Olive oil consumers more and more are looking for help in discerning quality,” NAOOA executive director Joseph R Profaci told Olive Oil Times. “But we realize that ensuring quality also means ensuring accuracy and clarity of the information that consumers receive on labels, whether the information has to do with the oil’s origin, the conditions under which it was grown, what is in the bottle and its expected shelf life under proper storage conditions.”
The new standards require all members of the association to apply two-year best-by dates; ensure that all country of origin details are displayed more prominently and concisely on labels; clearly label all products that are less than 100 percent olive oil; and provide recommendations for storage and usage.
Quality Seal Program members of the NAOOA will also have to show more strict documentation before they label their oils as organic. If an olive oil is labeled as organic before the NAOOA can test it, the producer must “provide copies of organic certification documents from the certifying agent authorized under the National Organic Program (NOP) or another certification body recognized by NOP.”
Association members must comply with the group’s new standards by 1 January 2019.
The changes might be considered a modest move by a group representing the world’s largest olive oil companies in the U.S., many of which have been fending off legal challenges resulting from years of shadowy labeling practices.
“Not exactly a game-changer,” Profaci admitted. “But we felt these are important steps in helping increase consumer confidence. Given that our members’ products represent about 85 percent of the branded olive oil sold in the U.S., these changes have the potential to make a real difference for consumers.”
“Although there’s significant evidence to support consumer trust in olive oil, including research by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that tested 88 products labeled extra virgin and found no confirmed adulteration in any of the samples, there’s still a lot of misinformation and even outright fake news circulating about it,” Profaci said in a press statement. More
More details available at the North American Olive Oil Association here


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The pay logistics firms award agency staff has been brought into sharp focus after the GMB launched a legal claim against four companies involved in the operation of Marks & Spencer’s DC in South Marston, Swindon. The GMB is bringing a group claim against four firms on behalf of 240 agency staff at the site, who it says have been paid up to £2/hour less than directly employed staff doing the same work. The four firms involved are DHL, which […]
Unite members at Eddie Stobart Logistics’ (ESL) Walkers Snacks Food contract are to strike over the operator’s failure to honour an existing industrial agreement.
Rico Group’s new MD Paul Parrish is expecting to double turnover within five years through an ambitious European expansion strategy.
DHL Supply Chain continued to improve its profitability in the UK, with pre-tax profit up 18% year-on-year in the most recent set of results filed at Companies House, despite a turnover drop resulting from the renewal of its NHS Supply Chain contract.


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China will increase imports, make it easier for overseas shoppers to get tax refunds and allow foreigners to visit more of the country for 72 hours without a visa, the central government said on Monday.
Outlining a number of measures aimed at encouraging consumption and stabilizing the struggling economy, China will start to import more advanced equipment and daily consumer goods and eliminate or reduce tariffs on the imports of these products, according to a guideline issued by the State Council.
China will continue to open up its service sector to foreign investors by adopting the "pre-establishment national treatment plus negative list" approach.
It promised to support the development of "emerging industries with strategic importance," a category including energy conservation and environmental protection, next-generation information technology, and new energy vehicles.
The announcement also specified 3D printing, robotics, gene engineering, wearable devices, smart home appliances, and digital media as targets for development.
The government will subsidize buyers of these new products and services.
"Boosting consumption is conducive to economic restructuring and sustainable growth," said the guideline.
The pro-consumption measures came as China is trying to shift from investment-led growth to consumption and innovation-driven expansion.
In a tone-setting communique issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee last month, the country's top leadership vowed to make consumption a bigger contributor to economic growth in the next five years.


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Nor-Shipping has announced that it will seek to add value for its traditional maritime audience by exploring new ocean business opportunities next year. Taking place across a series of venues in Lillestrøm and Oslo between 04 - 07 June, Nor-Shipping 2019 will focus on the theme of ‘ocean solutions’. This will see it showcase, as ever, the world’s leading maritime businesses, while also working to unlock the potential for the industry in the anticipated boom in developing ocean-based activities.
“We exist to showcase, support and help enable the shipping industry,” comments Nor-Shipping Director Per Martin Tanggaard. “The OECD has highlighted that economic value creation from ocean activities will have doubled by 2030, and we see that as a major business opportunity for the 1,000 exhibitors, and around 35,000 delegates, that we serve.
“Maritime businesses have the established expertise, infrastructure and assets to help unlock the potential of the ocean space – whether that be in terms of collaborating with new partners, or using existing maritime technology for developing industry segments, such as green energy, food production or deep sea mining. Maritime is always our number one focus and we believe we can serve it best by opening up the horizon a little to new possibilities. There are exciting times ahead.”
Nor-Shipping 2019 will host six exhibition halls, over 21,000m2, dedicated to tailored industry themes. Hall A will retain its focus from 2017, when Nor-Shipping launched the concept of Disruptive Sustainability to the industry – bringing together shipping industry trailblazers with leading companies and innovators from the wider business world.
Networking, knowledge and social events will light up venues beside the fjord in city centre Oslo, while large scale gatherings, such as the DNV GL BBQ and Closing Party, will bring key industry players from across the globe together to mix, talk business and just enjoy the Nor-Shipping atmosphere.
“Shipping is evolving and so are we, with the further development of the Disruptive Sustainability concept and the new Ocean Solutions opportunities,” Tanggaard stresses. “However, we also know what our core audience wants from us and are committed to delivering the optimal platform for them to showcase and strengthen their maritime businesses.
“Nor-Shipping has earned the title of the world’s leading maritime event week for good reason, and our 2019 outing will consolidate that position by delivering an added value exhibition and programme of activities for this industry. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Norway.”
In support of its drive to realise fresh opportunities for maritime, Nor-Shipping is organizing its first activity outside its home country with a new conference in Copenhagen from 2-3 May 2018. Christened Opening Oceans Conference (OOC) the event, timed to coincide with Danish Maritime Days, aims to illustrate and discuss key ocean opportunities, equip delegates with the tools to tackle them, and facilitate fresh collaborations.
Central conference themes will include energy production and access to minerals, changing logistic demands, food production, and capturing, collating and extracting value from the ever-increasing flow of ocean-related data. OOC is supported by both Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and Danish Shipping.


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People like to research prices before they make a big purchase - and that goes for everything from cars to surgery. At least, that’s what Democratic Assemblymember Roger Hernandez says. He says his bill would create a website that lists costs of medical procedures, so that consumers can find the best deal.
“It’s important for consumers to be equipped with the information that will give them the power to question billing practices, to question a procedure that they feel they’re being overcharged for, and thus maybe the insurance company is being overcharged for,” Hernandez says.
The website would display the amount charged for a healthcare service, and how much was actually paid. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones supports the idea of an online database.
“When you think about it, for every other good or service that we purchase, you can see a price list, but not medical services. And the prices vary all over the place. Even from the same medical provider,” Jones says.
Jones says there may be legal impediments to making more health pricing information publically available.
Gov. Jerry Brown opted not to include major investments in public health insurance programs in his budget revision on Friday, citing a preference for one-time spending measures over long-term commitments.
Enrollment in Covered California dropped slightly this year. Numbers out today show 1.5 million people enrolled for 2018. That's down about two percent from the previous year. A drop in renewals offset gains in new enrollees.
There's a big public health push to stop pumping livestock with antibiotics. A new report looks at which fast food chains are being choosy about their meat.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders blasted the current GOP health care proposal during a rally in San Francisco on Friday, saying it would cause millions of Californians to lose their health care coverage.
A bill to regulate dialysis clinics has stalled in the California Legislature following strong opposition from the medical industry.


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Birnagar, Nov. 11: Amid the ongoing probe into the ration scam in the state, Police in Nadia’s Birnagar arrested a person allegedly for transferring government-supplied fortified flour (Atta) and rice in sacks of local brands for sale to the retailers in the open market.
Prasanta Roy, a small transporter, who appeared to have worked as a middleman between ration distributors and retailers, was nabbed by local residents in the Charakpara area of Birnagar town on Saturday morning when he was transferring and repacking flour secretly in sacks inside a banana orchard cutting the packed item supplied by the state food and supply department for sale through the ration shops.
Police have seized over 400 sacks filled with packets of fortified whole meal atta each weighing 955 grams apart from over 150 sacks of rice, which are exclusively meant for sale and distribution among the public through the ration shops.
After a preliminary inquiry police sources said that accused transporter Prasanta has a strong nexus with the distributor, who used to repack ration items to sacks of local brands for selling to the retailers in the open market. Over a few hundred sacks with logos of local brands were seized from the spot, which was used to supply the ration items to the local markets, police said.
The incident that comes as a fresh embarrassment amid the ongoing probe of ration scam by the Enforcement Directorate, prompted the state food and supply department to order a probe.
State food and supply minister Rathin Ghosh told The NfN, “I have already directed senior officials of the department to examine the packets of seized atta and rice to confirm whether they were actually government supply for ration shops. At the same time, they would also find out how the man received the consignment…”. Senior food and supply official in Nadia said the role of the distributor from whom Prasanta received the items is being examined.
Local residents who demonstrated for about six hours since morning, demanding a visit by the food and supply officials at the spot for verification, claimed that the incident in other terms confirmed the ED’s claim that a significant part of the ration items meant for public distribution system in the state, is diverted to the open market.
Echoing the same BJP MP from Ranaghat Jagannath Sarkar, who rushed to the spot said, “ED stated it right that a big part of ration items diverted to open market. It is now quite clear that such pilferage of ration items is shared between the distributors and the open market retailers and this is never possible without the support of food and supply officials, police, and ruling party support…”


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Frogger is a game that ranks with Pac-Man as one of the greatest ever and the latest incarnation, Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition, is out now on XBLA with PSN and WiiWare versions due later this week announced Konami today. They also confirmed that the PSN version that has previously only been announced for North America would be available in Europe as well. The game is developed by Zombie Studios, who are known for the bringing us the free-to-play online shooter Blacklight: Retribution.
Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition is essentially a remix of the classic arcade game but includes new modes such as Tile Capture, Battle Royale and Freak Out amongst others. Up to four players at once can be supported via co-op functionality. It has a variety of skins from other classic video games such as Castlevania and Contra, alongside shiny neon graphics and the timeless original 8-bit version.
For those who want some classic gaming action with a new twist, the pricing is as follows: XBLA (800 Microsoft Points), WiiWare (1000 Wii points), with the PSN version costing $10 in the US (around £7).


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Whole Foods reported quarterly earnings and revenue that met analysts expectations on Wednesday. » Read More
Ford reported profit that was weaker than expected as the company said sales in the United States and China did not match company expectations.
Harley-Davidson reported a lower quarterly net income on Thursday as soft demand slowed sales in the United States, the company's biggest market.
Disabling red-light cameras leads to an increase in automotive crash and fatality rates, according to a new IIHS study.
Traders are falling back in love with Tesla, according to data showing a surge in bullish mentions of the stock on Twitter.
Buffalo Wild Wings' stock spiked 10 percent after Marcato Capital Management acquired a 5.1 percent stake in the company earlier in the week.
Sales of U.S. made whiskeys — things like Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey — are outpacing other types, including Scotch.
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts says an uptick in ad sales and the lowest net loss of video customers in a decade are good signs for TV.
In several states, annual back-to-school sales tax holidays will be noticeably more muted this year.
Credit Suisse upgrades fashion retailer Coach to outperform from neutral and ups its price target.
Coca-Cola share prices fall after the Dow component cut its organic revenue forecast for the year.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles reported a 14 percent drop in operating profit after charges related to recall costs and capacity shifts in North America.
Tesla's upcoming Model 3 car could generate an annual gross profit of about $5 billion, Elon Musk tells a press conference.
Tesla offered a peek into its 'gigafactory' in the Nevada desert on Tuesday.
Verizon's Yahoo purchase and growth in wireless gives it more consumer behavioral data. It can be used to created targeted ads.
Brewing optimism over a less-bad second half is buoying some of the biggest names in retail.
Shares of Mobileye fell more than 10 percent Tuesday after the software company announced it would not renew a contract with Tesla when it expires.
A judge granted preliminary approval for a settlement in which Volkswagen offers to buy back polluting diesel-powered vehicles.
The National Traffic Safety Board said on Tuesday a Tesla Model S driver who died in a fatal car crash in Florida had been speeding.
Starbucks released Cold Brew Coffee Pitcher Packs, which allow customers to make their cold brew at home.
Consumers were feeling a bit more optimistic than expected in July, as a key economic indicator held gains from June.
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Determining the number of fake reviews on the Web is difficult. But it is enough of a problem to attract a team of Cornell researchers, who recently published a paper about creating a computer algorithm for detecting fake reviewers. They were instantly approached by a dozen companies, including Amazon, Hilton, TripAdvisor and several specialist travel sites, all of which have a strong interest in limiting the spread of bogus reviews.
(via Ferreting Out Fake Reviews Online – nytimes.com)
Ironically, it seems that machines may be better at detecting fake reviews than people.


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Back in last week, the South Korean electronics giant Samsung unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5, it was oriented for the little ones and now today the company has launched the device in the Indian market.
The Galaxy Tab A sports 10.5 inch display along with the 16:10 aspect ratio and has 1920 X 1200 pixels resolution. The device is powered by 1.8 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 450 processor and paired with 3 GB RAM along with Adreno 506 GPU. In terms of storage, the device has 32 GB of internal storage and can be expandable up to 400 GB via microSD card.
Speaking about the camera department, the device has 8 megapixel rear camera with LED flash along with the 5 megapixel front facing camera. As I mentioned above that the device is meant for kids and it has the Kids Mode that features some applications like Kid Browser, Galaxy Apps for Kids, and eight child-friendly apps. Furthermore, users will get 15 GB of free cloud storage.
Talking about the connectivity, the device has two variants 4G LTE and Wi-Fi only, but the company has the 4G LTE variant in India. The tablet also supports GPS, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, and USB 2.0 Type-C. The tablet runs on Android Oreo 8.1, and backed on a massive 7,300 mAh.
Speaking about the pricing and availability, the device has the price tag of ₹29,990. And the device will be available from August 13 via Flipkart, Samsung Online Shop, and other leading retail stores. Having said that, the pre-booking of the device will start from tomorrow.


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Topic: iPhone Hardware 3.0
04/20/2009, 02:04 pm
An AT&T executive has confirmed in a new interview that the US iPhone service provider is currently performing a variety of upgrades on its 3G network that should combine to double capacity in the coming months.
04/14/2009, 08:04 pm
Apple on Tuesday evening made available to iPhone developers a third beta of iPhone Software 3.0 showing some early signs of optimizations and carrying with it an updated version of the iPhone SDK 3.0.
04/14/2009, 09:04 am
Over the past 48 hours, a couple of new reports have come out of the Far East claiming to identify up to three new models of Apple's iPhone due this year and a list of component suppliers who'll play an integral role.
04/07/2009, 01:04 pm
Following weeks of evidence and source reports on Apple's intentions to include video recording features in its next-generation iPhone, a new discovery within betas of the company's iPhone 3.0 software has all but officially confirmed the plans. Separate hints at Voice Dialing features are also being reported.
04/06/2009, 11:04 am
Analysts for Barclay's Capital are reporting Monday that their contacts in the Far East tell them that Apple has doubled its iPhone production for the current quarter, suggesting the company has baked high expectations into the launch of new models that will reportedly arrive in June.
04/05/2009, 04:04 pm
The founder of Austrian site Benm.at claims to have found multiple unused graphical controls that relate directly to video editing. Among the controls are grab points that would let users define the start and end of clips as well as repeating, tile graphics and references to an 'edit bar.'
04/04/2009, 06:04 pm
Wireless radio component specifications contained within beta distributions of iPhone 3.0 firmware reveal support for a new chip enabling low power 802.11n that's bound for Apple's third-generation iPod touch. It's therefore also likely to be included with new iPhone models.
04/03/2009, 04:04 pm
AT&T is rushing to rollout a major upgrade to its 3G mobile data service in anticipation of a tenfold increase in network traffic from new iPhone hardware expected to go on sale in June, according to a vendor source.
04/03/2009, 08:04 am
Apple has placed orders with a local component supplier for new parts that suggest it will upgrade the iPhone's camera to 3.2-megapixels when it introduces new models a bit later this year.
04/01/2009, 01:04 pm
Apple's iPhone Bluetooth Headset has now been completely removed from the Apple online store, suggesting the company will cede the headset business to third parties or return with an improved version leveraging new features in iPhone Software 3.0.
03/31/2009, 03:03 pm
A little-known equity research firm is out with a new report this week which could potentially shed some color on recent discoveries in Apple's iPhone 3.0 beta software that suggest two architecturally unique iPhones may be in the cards for this spring.
03/30/2009, 01:03 pm
The Royal Bank of Canada is maintaining its bearish near-term outlook on shares of Apple, claiming that although consumer interest in a new version of the iPhone remains healthy, sales of the new device are unlikely to provide the company with the same boost seen during the transition from the original iPhone to the iPhone 3G.
03/23/2009, 06:03 pm
One or more of AT&T's more senior officials have reportedly slipped important details about the next iPhone, including a June unveiling and a continued emphasis on speed.
03/23/2009, 09:03 am
Apple this weekend appears to have discontinued its iPhone Bluetooth Headset, a possible sign that the company could be planning to introduce an updated model alongside new iPhones a bit later this year or cede the market segment to third parties.
03/20/2009, 04:03 pm
Apple this year will finally introduce video recording capabilities on at least one of its upcoming iPhone models, AppleInsider has been told.
03/20/2009, 04:03 pm
A new report indicates that the next iPhone hardware release will offer "a significantly faster Internet connection," harmonizing with previous coverage of AT&T's network upgrade plans.
03/19/2009, 05:03 pm
Tucked within Apple's iPhone 3.0 beta firmware are hardware strings that mention not one but two unreleased iPhone models as well as similar changes in store for the iPod touch.


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By Ava Zardynezhad, March 23 2020—
In the last year, our impact on our planet and natural environment has become palpable. With the news of the Amazon wildfires gaining international attention in the summer of 2019 and the Australian bushfires later in the same year, the impending danger of losing much of our natural environment feels closer than ever before.
Pictures of cyclists feeding koalas water out of bottles and marsupials with burnt faces and coats reinforced a threat that has long been swept under the carpet. The intensification of the fires at the beginning of the new year served as a reminder that global climate change is an imminent threat, and that we must act in favour of protecting our natural environments and promote a more sustainable life. Moreover, the sheer number of climate strikes, walkouts, as well as the emergence of advocates such as Greta Thunberg and even the arrest of protestors, notably celebrities such as Jane Fonda and Joaquin Phoenix have attracted more attention to the issue than possibly ever before. There are many areas of sustainability that come to mind when we think of environmental protection. Living in Alberta, the oil and gas industry has always been a major target. Finding more sustainable energy alternatives has been a focus in our endeavours towards decreasing our footprint on the environment. However, one practice that has been gaining a lot of attention in the recent years is “going plastic free.”
Plastics have long been a target when it comes to living more sustainably. Endless campaigns have called for plastic-free communities and banning single-use plastics, whether it’s plastic straws, plastic six-pack rings or even plastic bags. Many fast food chains have gone plastic-free, such as A&W. They’ve bid plastic straws, wrappers and cutlery goodbye. Other institutions have banned plastic bags, the most recent of which is Sobeys. Since February, Sobeys finally put their “Bring Your Own Bag” policy into action. All across Canada, branches of the store will no longer provide single-use plastic bags. Customers are encouraged to bring their own totes or purchase reusable bags at the store.
This is certainly a big move for a grocery store, especially to implement such an initiative country-wide. In recent years, many stores have made access to single use plastic bags more difficult — many even charge customers for using them. Sobeys started experimenting with this initiative in Prince Edward Island after the province’s plastic bag ban in July of last year. This was a step that has been much appreciated and supported by many, and therefore has now been implemented country wide — rightfully so, considering the negative environmental impacts of plastic bags.
In 2019, plastic bags made up the seventh most commonly found plastic trash, as reported by the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. Plastics can break down into smaller particles called microplastics which can be toxic to marine life, not to mention the physical hazards that they create for marine animals. Therefore, banning the use of plastic bags will definitely have some positive environmental impacts. However, is this step enough when it comes to us as consumers and supermarkets as providers?
Single-use plastics are a large concern when it comes to environmental sustainability and protection. They are convenient and cheap to produce and use, but that makes them plentiful, which is a disadvantage since they are hard to degrade. Many have started promoting metal or paper straws or compostable plastics to replace plastic ones, yet plastic bags are the easiest single-use plastic products to ban and replace, since it is very easy to live without them. Using reusable bags and totes has become very popular and even to a certain extent “trendy.” Since it is such an easy article to get rid of, and since the general public is generally in favour of removing plastic bags, it is usually the first step any large store chain or organization takes to become more “eco-friendly” and “sustainable.”
However, there are also other single-use plastics that we use more frequently yet consider less as much — for instance, individual wrappings of various products, or even plastic wrap or foam protectors used to wrap up fruits. A plastic six-pack ring or the plastic wrapper around packets of gum are all examples of single-use plastic packaging, which is currently about a quarter of the trash in landfills. Just like plastic bags, these articles can leave a lasting mark on our natural environments.
In addition to pollution created by plastics, the foods that we consume can have an impact on our environment. Many of the food items we buy at the grocery store are often not sustainably sourced. For instance, products ranging from cookies to hair products tend to contain palm oil, the production of which has led to much deforestation and animal cruelty. Similarly, many of the everyday products that we consume, such as beef, or even delicacies such as cocoa and coffee, are the source of much of our food-production emissions and most of our land use. Food production is also a very energy expensive process, which adds onto the footprint of our consumption.
Lastly, one factor that we rarely think about when it comes to the impact of grocery stores on the environment is their energy consumption and the footprint that they leave on the environment. Many of the cooling agents used in refrigerators of grocery stores are more harmful than carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. Furthermore, lighting and heating of grocery stores is very energy consuming. The transportation of products to the individual stores also contributes to this footprint.
There are many aspects to consider when we talk about the role grocery stores as institutions can make to be more sustainable, and to make less of a negative impact on the environment. In recent years, many grocery stores have switched to a bulk food format, where foods are not pre-packaged, and consumers can bring their own containers in order to create minimal waste. If most supermarkets implement this format, it discourages excessive plastic packaging, and helps reduce our overall single-use plastic waste.
Similarly, grocery stores supporting and providing products with sustainably sourced raw material, and encouraging consumers to be mindful of their purchases, grocery stores can encourage more sustainable behaviour in their community. Labelling their products’ footprints can inform consumers as to how sustainable their choices are and advise them in making more conscientious choices for themselves. We as customers also have a responsibility to make conscientious choices about our food consumption, and make an effort to decrease our consumer footprint on the environment.
Lastly, taking steps towards more energy-efficient operation practices by decreasing their lighting- and heating-related energy consumption is a way through which grocery stores can employ more sustainable practices. Moreover, routine checkups of their equipment, ensuring there are no leaks and proper insulation, can help reduce a lot of the energy used in these facilities and make them more energy efficient.
Thankfully, Sobeys is a very sustainability-forward supermarket chain. So far, they have partnered with many national organizations such as the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and the National Farm Animal Care Council to provide sustainable and ethically sourced meat products. They are a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, and have plans of transitioning to using Certified Sustainable Palm Oil in 2020. They are also a member of the National Zero Waste Council, through which they have been able to gradually reduce their overall contribution to waste production. Sobeys also has plans for decreasing their energy usage and have been monitoring their efforts since 2018.
In conclusion, banning plastic bags is a big step for grocery stores like Sobeys to take in their efforts of being more sustainable. However, it is also the easiest step to take. There are many other areas of a grocery store’s operation that can leave a large carbon footprint. But, what is important is that these large organizations recognize these issues, and take steps towards gradually decreasing their negative impact on the environment. Thankfully, corporations such as Sobeys have recognized the problem and are actively taking steps towards self-improvement.


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The system introduced Wednesday channels a concept that has turned Google Inc., YouTube's owner, into one of the world's most profitable companies. And it gives Google a new way to try to profit from the $1.76 billion it paid to buy YouTube two years ago.
"We are trying to blend the best of Google with the best of YouTube," said Matthew Liu, a YouTube product manager.
Just as they do at Google, advertisers can now tie their commercials to specific words entered into YouTube's search box. For instance, a contractor might want to bid for the right to show a video ad when people search for home improvement clips.
The new platform, initially available only in the United States, also is expected to appeal to video creators who want to attract a larger audience to clips they have posted on YouTube.
Some clips that might not rank high in the primary results of a YouTube search theoretically could appear on the first page as a "sponsored" video if a bidder is willing to pay a high enough price for a click and offers compelling content.
"We know there are a lot of people looking to be discovered or become famous on YouTube," Liu said.
Like Google, YouTube's formula for deciding which sponsored results to display is based on a combination of factors -- primarily how much money an advertiser is willing to pay per click and how much interest the message has drawn in the past.
It's easy for clips to get lost in the mix at YouTube, given that 13 hours of new video are being uploaded to the site every minute.
Google is becoming more aggressive about mining revenue from YouTube as it tries to realize a return from buying the video site.
Last month, for instance, YouTube began allowing advertisers to place a button under videos to offer viewers a chance to buy music, movies or other products featured in a clip. YouTube also is experimenting with ads that could appear before, during and after the professionally produced TV shows and movies that can now be watched on YouTube.
Although it attracts more than 300 million worldwide users, YouTube hasn't delivered a big payoff for Google yet -- much to the frustration of impatient investors.
And Google could definitely use an additional lift, even though the Internet search leader's revenue has climbed 37 percent so far this year.
As the economy heads into what's expected to be its deepest recession in a quarter century, analysts are convinced Google's growth will decelerate dramatically -- a concern that has caused the company's stock to plunge by 58 percent so far this year. Google shares fell below $300 for the first time in more than three years Wednesday to close at $291, down $20.46, or 6.6 percent.
Google doesn't break out YouTube's contribution to its finances, but Collins Stewart LLC analyst Sandeep Aggarwal estimates the video site will generate $180 million to $200 million in revenue this year. That's just 1 percent of Google's projected revenue of about $20 billion this year.
But Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has promised it won't be much longer before YouTube comes up with an approach that will encourage advertisers to substantially increase their spending on Internet video commercials.
Most analysts also have high expectations. The research firm eMarketer Inc. estimates U.S. advertisers will be spending $5.8 billion on video ads in 2013, up from $505 million this year. Aggarwal predicts YouTube's revenue will double next year to about $400 million.
Even if video advertising takes off, it will still be far smaller than Google's bread and butter, the search advertising market. EMarketer expects that market to more than double in the United States during the next five years to $23.8 billion.
YouTube's search-driven ads seem unlikely to make as much money as Google's, partly because fewer people are looking to buy things when they visit YouTube.
Some advertisers also might be reluctant to have their messages shown alongside YouTube results for fear of being displayed along some risque or wacky content that could hurt their brands, said Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey.
"There is more potential for embarrassment," McQuivey said. "If you are an advertiser who buys the rights to the words `pain killers,' you aren't going to want your ad shown next to some video with a guy ranting about how happy he is to be high on meth."
But YouTube is betting more advertisers will be ready to take a chance as they realize that anyone who clicks on a message at YouTube is likely to sit through the whole message and not walk away to do something else, as they might if the same commercial were shown on television.
"If you can engage people with sight, sound and motion, they are more likely to remember your message," said Shishir Mehrotra, YouTube's director of advertising.


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Tesla announces belief in the future of cryptocurrencies
Tesla confirms its interest in cryptocurrencies. In its latest report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the US federal financial market regulator, the automaker adopted a very favorable position about digital currencies:
“We believe in the long-term potential of digital assets both as an investment and as an alternative to cash.”
For Tesla, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) are not just assets but means of exchange. In other words, the auto firm believes that digital currencies represent a viable alternative to fiat currenciessuch as the dollar or the euro.
Tesla did not invest in Bitcoin just to make profits by speculating on rising prices. Unsurprisingly, the electric car giant reserves the possibility “to increase or decrease” his “Hold digital assets at any time based on business needs” and “market conditions”.
👉 How to buy Bitcoin (BTC)?
Tesla and cryptocurrencies, a complicated relationship
Tesla has never hidden its attraction to cryptocurrencies. However, the emerging relationship between the firm ofElon Musk and crypto-assets has been punctuated by many adventures. In February 2021, Tesla first accepted Bitcoin (BTC) payments for its customers in the United States. It was possible to buy a brand car by paying the bill with bitcoins.
In the process, the electric car giant invested 1.5 billion in the oldest digital currency. According to the latest report filed with the SEC, Tesla held $1.96 billion in Bitcoin as of March 31, 2022. The firm has already realized a nice capital gain on its initial investment.
Under pressure from shareholders, Tesla chose toabandon bitcoin payments a few weeks after the announcement. The American group claimed to be concerned about the use of ” carbon-rich fuels » by mining farms.
Subsequently, Elon Musk pledged to reintegrate Bitcoin payments as soon as mining farms massively convert to green and renewable energy. The CEO of Tesla demanded that 50% of miners rely on clean energy before announcing the return of cryptocurrency payments.
To accelerate the industry’s shift to green energy, Tesla has partnered with blockJack Dorsey’s start-up, and Blockstream, the publisher of blockchain applications. The three companies have embarked on the construction of a Bitcoin mining farm in Texas. This infrastructure will be entirely powered by solar energy.
Elon Musk is reluctant to re-enter Bitcoin
Despite efforts by miners, Elon Musk has yet to announce the return of bitcoin payments. The billionaire nevertheless admitted that the mining industry has already made significant changes to reduce your ecological footprint. However, a study by the New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG) reveals that Bitcoin will represent only 0.9% of carbon emissions in the world in 2030.
And, of course, you can pay in Ðoge
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 19, 2022
At the same time, Tesla has started to accept Dogecoin (DOGE) as a means of payment on its official online store. Some of the products offered by the brand can be purchased with cryptocurrency.
On Twitter, Elon Musk also announced that Tesla will accept Dogecoin at some charging stations for electric cars, starting with the new Supercharger under construction in California. In the meantime, there are no signs of Bitcoin returning to Tesla.
👉 Read also: Tesla sold some of its bitcoins to “prove the liquidity” of cryptocurrency
Get a crypto news recap every Sunday 👌 And that’s it.


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Packaging Automation Limited (PA), based in Knutsford, are a rapidly growing designer and manufacturer of packaging machinery. PA’s recent success coupled with the company’s continued and ambitious growth plans sees the opening of factory 2 to support the required expansion in manufacturing facilities.
Packaging Automation has achieved rapid growth during the last four years with export sales growth playing a vital part in the company’s success.
In 2017 the company achieved a key milestone when sales revenue topped £10.5 million. In 2014, the family owned business set an aggressive growth target and since then has seen turnover increase by more than 50%.
As well as expanding its facilities, the business has also announced two new appointments, Neil Ashton has been promoted to Managing Director and Dave Schumacker has been promoted to Operations Director. The whole team at PA are looking forward to another fantastic year of growth.


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A Valentine’s Eve Livestream Concert With Special Guest Sheléa
A Romantic Night In
Saturday, February 13, 2021 5:00 PM PT
Virtual Event: GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz and R&B superstar vocalist Brian McKnight announce “A Romantic Night In,” a one-night-only livestream concert that will take place on Valentine’s Day Eve. They will be joined by special guest Sheléa.
Dave Koz says, “Brian, Sheléa and I are so excited to provide the romantic soundtrack to your Valentine’s weekend celebration at home. Pour a glass of wine, dip some strawberries in chocolate...and leave it to us to provide the musical magic!”
Tickets for “A Romantic Night In” are on sale now. Included in the ticket price will be an exclusive digital copy of the “A Romantic Night In” EP, a collection of Koz’s most romantic songs. VIP experiences, including exclusive one-on-one meet & greets, are also available. Concert venues that Koz has visited over the years are participating in bringing awareness to the show.
The virtual event comes on the heels of Koz’s hugely successful 2020 livestream concerts. The first event celebrated the release of his latest album, A New Day, while the second, Dave Koz & Friends The Greatest Hits of Christmas 2020, featured Koz and an all-star line-up of guests performing holiday favorites.


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Oracle CEO Larry Ellison said his company was in the hardware business to stay and took a few more shots at “cloud computing” in a rare public appearance Monday.
Speaking at an event, Ellison said that Oracle, which announced its intent to acquire Sun Microsystems for $7.4 billion in April, planned to keep and invest in the computer equipment it acquired from Sun. Why Oracle, which makes software, would buy a company known for hardware has been the subject of much speculation. Ellison addressed this during his talk.
“I would like us to be the successor to IBM,” Ellison said, according to All Things D. “But we want to be T. J. Watson’s IBM,” he said, referring to the CEO who led the company in the 1950s and 1960s.
He continued: “T.J. Watson’s IBM was the greatest company in the history of enterprise in America because its combination of hardware and software was running most of the enterprises on the planet. We think with the combination of Sun technology and Oracle technology we can succeed and beat IBM. That’s our goal. We have a deep interest in the systems business. We think that by combining our software with hardware that we can deliver systems that can be the backbone of most enterprises in America and around the world.”
The Sun deal still needs to be approved by European antitrust regulators. Ellison said that each month that Oracle is unable to close the deal costs Sun $100 million, according to the Journal.
Ellison also found time to talk about one of his favorite topics: the phrase cloud computing. A rather loose moniker used to describe just about anything that has to do with the Internet, it’s one of the hottest buzz phrases in the tech industry these days. Ellison dismissed cloud computing as meaningless tech babble a year ago, saying that the tech industry was more prone to adopting the latest fashion than the fashion industry. He reiterated his opposition to the term Monday, asking whether it was true that companies like Google were based on “water vapor.” A video of the riff is available here.


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BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the British public broadcaster, has inked a raft of deals with digital platforms in Russia ahead of Discop.
The distributor has closed a deal with Yota, the wireless broadband internet company, for 2000 hours of content over three years. Yota, which is launching its multi-device video-on-demand service Yota Play in July, has acquired series including Sherlock, Misfits, Little Britain, Top Gear, Life and Planet Earth.
Russia’s digital portal IVI has also licensed 200 hours of programming for its site including a three hour stream of the Royal Wedding.
These deals come after BBC Worldwide struck its first Russian digital deal in April with Now.ru for 400 hours of programming.
These deals were struck by Gary Woolf, VP, business development and digital media and come as Discop East launches in Budapest this week.


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Popcorn Times is a pirated movies streaming service which announced on Sunday that its Windows Software gets the Google Chromecast Support. A Chromecast-ready update is also in the works for Mac users, Popcorn Time said.
Chromecast is Google’s streaming device, which sends video from your Chrome browser or from services like Netflix and YouTube to your television. Google announced a series of pending updates for Chromecast last month, including the ability to mirror anything on an Android phone or tablet on your TV. Popcorn Time, an open-source project launched earlier this year, has gained popularity thanks to its simple interface and its commitment to covering users’ digital tracks.
Popcorn Time says it was removed from the Google Play store within 24 hours of its debut there in May. But through Windows Platform you can use it.


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NetUSA Launches Silicon Valley High Tech
Added: (Fri Nov 19 1999)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
FREMONT, Calif.--Nov. 19, 1999--NetUSA, Inc. (OTCBB: NTSA - news) announced today that it has launched the electronic edition of its Silicon Valley High Tech magazine.
The magazine, a Chinese language high technology publication, is now available online at http://www.svhitech.com. The current issue (November) features Hewlett-Packard CEO Carleton Fiorina and in-depth analysis of Hewlett-Packard's reorganization. Since the website became active, it has already become a popular destination for Chinese readers seeking up-to-date high technology news.
Prior to the launching of the electronic edition, SV High Tech had already enjoyed distribution to Chinese communities worldwide. In the future, NetUSA plans provide additional services and information on the SV High Tech website - the technology news and analysis will be updated around the clock, and there will be other services and products available on the website as well.
With the launching of the electronic edition, SV High Tech seeks to further become a more important presence in the China market. NetUSA hopes to employ its strategic partnerships with seven major Internet organizations in China, including Tanfo Online, the largest Internet service provider in southwestern China, and Guangzhou Information Center, the official telecommunications provider for the city of Guangzhou, to provide SV High Tech (both paper and electronic editions) to consumers throughout China. NetUSA is currently in the process of setting up mirrors for the SV High Tech electronic edition in China in association with these strategic partners.
"Currently, SV High Tech fits a special need of the Chinese-speaking community worldwide," said NetUSA president James Yu. "The community's media are not usually well-versed in technology news, and often provides inaccurate or outdated information. SV High Tech seeks to change that, and provide the Chinese speakers throughout the world with the most accurate and up-to-date high technology news and information. We believe that once the readers see the quality of the publication, they will be hooked on it. In addition, SV High Tech will also become a place where people can come for solutions
to their computing needs and find or purchase that solution directly off our website."
NetUSA, Inc., formerly of Mountain View, Calif. and now headquartered in Fremont, Calif., is traded on the OTC Bulletin Board market under the symbol NTSA. NetUSA has three divisions. The WebCenter Division provides complete World Wide Web solutions for businesses and also owns and operates www.softwarecenter.com, one of the largest software information and on-line sales centers on the Web, and www.candycenter.com, the leading distributor of candy on the Internet.
The Telecom Division (www.netusa.com) employs cutting-edge IP technology for iphone and ifax services that greatly reduces the cost while preserving the quality of the services. The Software Technology Division (www.netusa.com/pacmicro) produces critically acclaimed utility programs for personal computers using Microsoft operating systems, including award-winning Mac-In-DOS.


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Just a few years ago, Quek Siu Rui met with the board of his Singapore startup Carousell to decide whether or not to sell. At the age of 26 this $100 million offer could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. He said no.
He wanted to keep building his Carousell. And believe it or not, his decision was a good call. Today, the company is valued at over $500 million and it’s obvious to say, Quek doesn’t regret it. He told Forbes “In the start-up phase of our business, we were laser-focused on growth and our mission to inspire the world to start selling."
The Inspiration Behind Carousell
Quek and his partners got to know each other at the National University of Singapore. Self-described geeks, they bonded over their shared love of buying and selling gadgets over the web. During their university years, they spent a year in California’s Silicon Valley. It was here that they attended talks by tech moguls including Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg.
In 2012, they founded Carousell, naming it after the famous Kodak Carousel projector featured on the TV show “Mad Men.” It didn’t take long for a steady millennial fan base to come pouring in. Carousell is a smartphone and web-based consumer to consumer marketplace for buying and selling secondhand goods. Consider it the next Ebay.
The Expansion of Carousell and What’s Next
“We’ve been fortunate to have investors that see the value we’re creating." He went on to say, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We want to build an enduring company.” Carousell, now operates in a seven international markets, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, and Australia.
After raising another $85 million in recent funding rounds, Quek plans to build out Carousell’s existing markets. His plans include Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Carousell also belongs to a league of what is known as classified marketplaces. This includes the Seattle-based OfferUp Inc. and Japan’s Mercari, Inc.
The Moral of the Story
If you have a great idea for a business, don’t sell out at the first offer. Be sure of your decisions. Kuo-Yi Lim, a managing partner at Monk’s Hill Ventures in Singapore said “The rise and evolution of Siu Rui has been phenomenal. Without question, they are going to be attractive to a lot of people. The question for Siu Rui and his team is, 'Is this the right company to sell out to? Is this the right time to give up control or should we continue to shoot for the moon?'”
Qui acknowledges that he continues to get offers for Carousell on a regular basis but the company is still not for sale. “We want to be in the driver’s seat,” he said. “We are less than 1 percent done.”
Related Article: Have You Heard About Elon Musk’s Plan to Rate Journalists, Pravda?


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Pre-PMA 2009: In two weeks the Photo Marketing Association tradeshow will open its doors. The flow of new product announcements began at CES last month and promises to pick up its pace this week and next. Despite the global economic situation we are still expecting a number of announcements from all manufacturers, just perhaps with a balance toward the more affordable models. So that you can keep up to date with his growing list of new products we have enabled our show report and new product index which will also provide direct access to our live 'from the show floor' reports as they happen. We've also added a little preview / predictions list. Bookmark our show report page or subscribe to our PMA 2009 RSS feeds.
Click here for our PMA 2009 Show Report
(including preview / predictions / hopes)
PMA 2009 RSS feeds
PMA 2009 preview / predictions / hopes
- Few new digital SLRs - Ironically we start our show preview with a fairly stark prediction; while there may be one or two, we're not expecting many DSLR announcements at this PMA. There were no less than seven new Digital SLRs at Photokina and the financial climate won't favor expensive models. We think it's a bit too early to see any further developments in the Micro Four Thirds camp (or any competing non-reflex system cameras) beyond what we saw at Photokina.
- Lens market growth - With the surge in DSLR sales it's clear that demand and sales of lenses will continue to climb, we're likely to see this reflected in the number of lens announcements this year.
- HD video, zoom, bridge models - We mentioned this in our 2008 preview but it's still likely to continue to be a trend this year, more compact models with HD video support, big zoom and even more models which aim to be both things, a decent camcorder and competent stills camera.
- Rugged compacts - We've not seen that many rugged compact cameras, in fact some manufacturers have none in their line-up. We're expecting to see that corrected this year with almost every major manufacturer having at least one rugged / waterproof compact model.
- Innovation? - Often, when we mentioned the lack of innovation in camera design and technology during our meetings at the last PMA (2008) and later in the year at Photokina, we got mysterious responses involving much touching of noses, winking and whispers of 'wait until next year'. Whether these hints of things to come turn into anything more concrete during PMA 2009 remains to be seen, though with most of the major camera manufacturers facing tough times and desperately cutting costs we're not holding our collective breath for any big surprises. Which will, of course, make them doubly welcome should there actually be any.
May 4, 2011
Jan 11, 2011
Jun 1, 2010
Feb 20, 2010
|Hot Air Balloons Over Bagan by User9320321874|
|Yellow Warbler by LeeS|
from A Big Year - birds
|Waiting for the Parade by tcoker1103|
from - La Vida Loca - (Black and White Street Photography+ A Border)
If you're thinking of using Canon's sports glass on the Sony a9, think again. The ultra-fast camera slows way down when you attach off-brand glass.
The Polish town of Katowice is not known as an area of beauty, but as all photographers know, that doesn't mean that beauty can't be found if you know where to look. Mariusz Pietranek used a drone to look down on the colorful sedimentation tanks at an ironworks.
New York Times video journalist Ben Solomon spent a harrowing three weeks accompanying Iraqi Major Sajjad al-Hour as he and his men fought to retake Mosul from I.S. forces.
The 3D VR camera launched through a crowdfunding campaign in 2015 goes on sale beginning June 26.
Noctilucent clouds, a crescent moon and Venus were visible in the pre-dawn sky over Budapest yesterday. Photographer György Soponyai captured NASA's astronomy picture of the day.
Squirming pets won't sit still for photos? A Kickstarter campaign is looking to help.
Find out how Chris Burkard shifted from editorial photography to his true passions: landscapes, conservation and, of course, surfing.
The updated EyeEm app scans your camera roll and picks images that are composed particularly well, have the best quality, or highest chance of selling on EyeEm Market.
It's three years old but still a solid option for a Micro Four Thirds shooter looking for a high-quality, fast, wide-angle prime. Take a look at how we got along with it.
Tamron has announced the longest all-in-one zoom lens currently available, the 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD. Designed for Canon and Nikon crop-sensor cameras, the lens will be available in July.
When you're ready to step-up to full-frame from an entry-level or midrange camera, the choices can be overwhelming. Find out which models came out on top in our $1200-2000 enthusiast ILC roundup.
Just a guy wearing a VR headset, smashing invisible Goombas in Central Park.
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this gorgeous aerial photo of the Martian landscape. And if you look really close, you can actually see the Mars Curiosity rover in the very middle.
The city of Laguna Beach, California has provided some clarification around the kinds of photography permits it offers.
Later this year, a VR180 camera will be Joining Yi's Halo and 360 VR cameras, which will offer stereo 3D capture, yet be as easy to use and compact as a 2D camera.
Caltech researchers have developed an 'optical phased array' chip that uses time delays instead of a lens to focus the incoming light.
Pricing and shipping have finally been revealed for two highly anticipated lenses from Sigma, announced in February.
These macro photos of clouds of paint billowing through clear water might look like high-quality CGI, but they're real photographs. And photographer Alberto Seveso told us how they were made.
Facebook is testing a feature that prevents people from saving, sharing, or even taking a screenshot of your profile picture.
We've reshot the Sony a9 in our studio. The short story: it's sharper! The long story... well you can read it all here.
The collection will be officially launched during the Europeana Transcribathon Campus Berlin 2017 crowdsourcing event which will be held on 22 and 23 June at the Berlin State Library.
Light gives us some insight into the preparations for the launch of the pre-order shipments of its much anticipated L16 multi-lens camera.
OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei has confirmed in a tweet that the second lens on the back of the OnePlus 5 uses a 1.6x optical zoom and that digital zoom is used to reach the claimed 2x zoom factor.
Fujifilm recently unveiled the second in its series of affordable cine lenses, the MK50-135mm T2.9. We got our hands on it for a couple days and took it for a spin.
Leica's first attempt at an M-series digital rangefinder was rough around the edges, but set a pattern for all of the cameras that came after it. In this week's Throwback Thursday article, Barney remembers the M8.
No stranger to extreme situations, legendary climber and filmmaker Jimmy Chin talks to Outside Magazine about his career, and the challenge of filming Alex Honnold's rope-free solo climb of El Capitain.
A company backed by Android co-founder Andy Rubin is attempting to make video conferencing less terrible.
Rangefinder magazine asked five professional portrait and wedding photographers about posting on Instagram; no surprise, they got five different answers.
This captivating stop motion film was created by stripping away one layer of wood at a time. It's hard to look away.
It will enable users to simulate the presence of the sun, moon and Milky Way and see how they interact with an area's topography.


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The third annual Photo17, a photography auction to benefit the AIDS monument planned for West Hollywood Park, will take place on Thursday at Milk Studios in Hollywood.
This year’s event will feature a performance by Rufus Wainwright.
“This auction, now in its third year, attracts many of the world’s finest photographers. The expressions and contributions toward the AIDS monument make this a perfect event for Milk to support,” said Willie Maldonado, Milk LA’s founder and partner and co-chair of the Photo17 event. “The untold loss — and untold stories of the artists, models and fashion industry leaders cannot be measured. This is our way of bringing those stories to life, and to remember those people in an artistic way.”
“I am so proud of the amazing committee of 20 volunteers that has helped put this show together,” said Bobby Heller, event co-chair. ” I have lost 30 plus friends to AIDS, and am a survivor in this war, and this monument and our event is our way of paying tribute to those we love and recognize the impact this has had on the artistic community.”
One hundred percent of the proceeds from Photo17 will benefit the Foundation for the AIDS Monument, which is in the final phase of a $5 million campaign to raise money to build the monument. It is designed by Daniel Tobin of the Urban Art Projects and will be located in West Hollywood Park.
The auction will feature live and silent auctions of photographs from collectors and galleries. Past participants include Julius Shulman, Brad Elterman, Jack Pierson, Jeff Wall, Firooz Zahedi, Norman Seef, Bruce Weber, Ellen Von Unwerth, Pamela Hanson, Antonio Lopez, Herb Ritts, Greg Gorman, Catherine Opie, Ed Ruscha, Dennis Hopper, Kihende Wiley, John Divola, William Wegman and Karen Kuehn. Photo17 will include 80 silent lots and 20 live lots, with bidding available around the world via Paddle8 online bidding.
Highlights of this year’s auction include one-of-a-kind photos of Jessica Lange taken by Antonio Lopez. The photos, taken in Paris in 1978, are part of the noted fashion illustrator’s estate collection, and are not available for purchase — but have been entrusted to the Foundation for the AIDS Monument in Lopez’s memory. This year’s auction also will feature images of Sly Stone, Debbie Harry and Andy Warhol by Norman Seef. The Herb Ritts Foundation also has donated signed Herb Ritts photographs.
Since 2015, over $500,000 has been raised from the photo events hosted by Milk Studios. The event takes place from 7 to 10 p.m. at Milk’s studio at 855 N. Cahuenga Blvd. It will include a preview cocktail reception with food provided by Love Catering and produced by Bryan Rabin.
General admission tickets are $150 if purchased before Sept. 19. VIP tickets are $250 and VIP host tickets are $1,000.
Tickets are available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/photo17-tickets-36933023668#tickets


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2020 has been a banner year for ecommerce. But personalized online experiences have plenty of room to improve, evolve and mature. Here are five predictions for ecommerce personalization in 2021, from image recognition functionality to psychographic profiling to pinpointing long-term consumption patterns, according to a piece in Multichannel Merchant.
AI-powered recommendations, writes Jan Soerensen, General Manager, North America at Nosto, will become more transparent to consumers by providing clearer explanations for why certain products are suggested to shoppers. For instance, the consumer might be told that the item is in their size or it has a similar color to a previous purchase. Such explanations will serve to make AI recommendations less intimidating and ultimately more successful.
Shoppers will soon be able to search for products within images and videos, and online personalization engines will be able to recognize specific colors and patterns. While this “shop the look” capability exists now to some degree, the capability will gain more traction, particularly in verticals like fashion and interiors.
Demographics that are commonly used in ecommerce personalization include age, gender, geography and online behavior. But new types of personalization, such as personality types (i.e. trusting, confident, adventurous) could be applied to the user experience in the future and inform product recommendations.
For more ways in which personalization could evolve in 2021, including recognizing long-term consumption habits and pinpointing the most profitable visitor segments to target, read more in Multichannel Merchant.


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Turning 25: What’s in a name change?
13 April 2016
ING celebrates its 25th birthday this year. The merger of Dutch bank NMB Postbank and Dutch insurer Nationale-Nederlanden on 4 March 1991 led to ING’s formation. But how did the public get used to the new name? Help was at hand from an old friend.
For a decade, Dutch actor André van den Heuvel starred in TV commercials for NMB Postbank. In 1992 he made one final appearance, teaching the Dutch public how to pronounce the Bank’s new, three-letter name.
Between 1975 and 1984, Van den Heuvel would always end the commercials with his famous closing line: “De NMB denk met U mee” (The NMB thinks along with you).
Eight years later, in September 1992, Van den Heuvel made one more appearance in a commercial with a simple message that also ended with a line of similar cadence and rhythm: “En Em Bee wordt Ie En Gee” (NMB becomes ING).
The commercials were part of a major marketing operation. Apart from the TV ads, ING aired numerous radio commercials with Van den Heuvel. Thousands of billboards and posters appeared all over the country with his simple message.
It worked. In early 1993, ING Bank TV (ING’s then internal visual communications channel) presented the results of a consumer survey. While only 31 percent of Dutch consumers knew the ING name in August, by October, halfway through the campaign, that number had risen to 70 percent. In December a healthy 83 percent of people were familiar with the new brand.
And what’s more, no less than 90 percent knew how to pronounce this cryptic, three-letter name.
It lasted until December 1995 before the statutory name changed to ING Groep N.V. Until then, the company still formally carried its full name: the Internationale Nederlanden Groep.


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After beating out potential bids from Nestle and Coca-Cola, Unilever has signed a deal to buy GlaxoSmithKline’s nutrition business, Horlicks, for $3.8 billion.
The deal is the latest move in GSK’s effort to streamline its portfolio and shift its investments to pharmaceuticals. Hours before the Unilever deal was announced, GSK said it has agreed to buy cancer drugmaker Tesaro for $5.1 billion.
For Unilever, the acquisition will allow the company to boost its food and drinks portfolio. In particular, the company is looking to leverage Horlicks’ market share of malted milk in India, as well as its health food and drinks products marketed in about 20 (mostly Asian) countries.
Under the terms of the deal, Unilever will purchase Horlicks for about $3.8 billion.
Continue at: https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/industrynews/2018/unilever-nabs-gsk-nutrition-business/
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